Ok, it's official. NSF loves the NRO!! Only reason we get to see the video tracking the first stage all the way through return is because they're not supposed to show any of the 2nd stage video. That was amazing!

Entry burn is confirmed as 1 3 1. Center engine ignites, then outer two ignite, then outer two stop, then center engine extinguishes. Great to see. Apogee 162KM, so no question the stage is a space flown artifact.

There is a "heartbeat" like glow (not the nitrogen thrusters) at the base of the rocket every few seconds. My guess is that they are releasing pressure through the engines so (as opposed to the vents) so they don't upset the attitude.

The jets are navigating in 3d,not just two. You can see them thrusting fore and aft as well as sideways.

Hollywood, take note.THIS is what an alien invader coming in for landing should look like..I was absolutely overwhelmed by the sheer mechanical *majesty* of that vehicle coming in for its landing burn.

That was fantastic! The spacecraft being tracked from launch all the way to landing by ground cameras and the Stage 1 telemetry all the way up and down meant that we really got an idea of what the Falcon booster's nominal flight looks like and more than a little about its trajectory and velocity during all flight phases.

Logged

"Oops! I left the silly thing in reverse!" - Duck Dodgers

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The Space Shuttle Program - 1981-2011

The time for words has passed; The time has come to put up or shut up!DON'T PROPAGANDISE, FLY!!!